Remarks of Dr Lam Akol Ajawin, Chairman of the SPLM-DC at the opening session of the Higher Committee to Prepare for the Holding of the National Delegates' Congress on 8 July 2009.

(08/07/2009, SPLM-DC) I welcome you the members of the Higher Committee to Prepare for the Holding of the National Delegates' Congress of SPLM-DC and I congratulate you for the confidence the leadership has bestowed on you. I am confident in your ability to accomplish this important task.

We meet today a little after one month since the launching of the public activities of the SPLM-DC. This party that was born a giant with teeth.

Within the month we were able to establish and maintain our presence on the political map as no day passes without media comments and articles on our party.

Within the month we opened offices for the party in the States. I am glad to announce that the popular response to join the party was beyond our expectations.

Within the month "Change" has become a household word.

Nonetheless, these great achievements have caused panic in some circles especially in Southern Sudan prompting them to harass members of our party. For instance, in Wadakona in Upper Nile State, two of the party activists were arrested by elements of the SPLA acting under the orders of the Commissioner who is also the Chairman of the SPLM in the County. The two were subjected to torture and are still under detention. In Wau, one of our students activists in the University of Bahr el Ghazal was arrested by the Military Intelligence of the SPLA and was only released after twelve hours of threats and intimidation. In Juba, the publicly displayed slogans and billboards of the party were removed by the same elements. Recently, they have been spreading rumours ascribed to the leadership of the Government of Southern Sudan with the intention to intimidate members and sympathizers of the party.

Regarding these excesses, we say the following:

1. Threats, intimidation and use of violence will not deter us and, despite all that, we shall march forward on the path we have chosen without detraction;
2.We are capable and able to defend our members. In so doing ,we shall pursue all the constitutional and legal means;
3.Both the Constitution and the law guarantee to us the freedom of political work at par with the other political parties;
4.Up to now we still give the other side the benefit of the doubt and assume that all what is happening is due to some recalcitrant extremists who would want to be "more royal than the King";
5.The command of the SPLA must prove by action and not just words that the SPLA will not be involved in politics;
6.The Political Parties Affairs Council should ensure that its authority is effective all over the country without exception;
7.We reiterate our previous request to the National Elections Commission to speed up the endorsement of local and international monitors so as to be deployed all over the country and especially the South in order to monitor the elections process which has started with the publication of the timelines of the elections process. Crucial to the fairness of the election process is guaranteeing and providing the freedom of political activities for all the parties;
8.The human rights organizations should make their voices heard all over the world in condemnation of these barbaric acts;
9.It is to the interest of the SPLM to adhere to honest political competition and desist from using violence against its opponents. The political price for such practices that contravene the law shall be quite expensive;
10.These excesses lift on a daily basis the mask from the ugly face of those who claim to be democrats when they are anything but democrats.

The meeting of your Committee today testifies to the fact that we are determined to push for change paying no attention to the detraction of those who have failed our people. You are charged with a historic responsibility to prepare for the holding of the National Delegates' Congress of our party. We had promised in our statement launching the public activities of the party that the Congress be held on or before the 6th of August. We hope to meet this deadline. However, should the demands of better preparation impose a delay for a number of days, we can put up with that since our main objective is to hold a unique Congress both in form and content.

The basis of constituting your Committee is Resolution 2/2009 dated 3/7/2009 on the strength of Article 2 of the Basic Rules of the SPLM-DC 2009. Sections (2) and (3) of the Resolution specify the functions of the Committee. I shall explain those in detail in the course of this contribution.

Your Committee shall form sub-committees that shall undertake specialized work, and you may invite some members of the party who are not members of the Higher Committee to serve in these sub-committees.

I expect you to embark on your work without delay and your meetings should be intensified so that you may accomplish your task in a reasonable time. I believe you can do it.

I wish you every success.

Thank you.

Dr Lam Akol Ajawin,
Chairman, SPLM-DC.